


So We're Okay

by Emilys_List



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode: s02e03 The Midterms, F/M, First Time, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-01-01
Updated: 2005-01-01
Packaged: 2019-05-15 20:45:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14797673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emilys_List/pseuds/Emilys_List
Summary: Some banter, some sex, a little plot.





	So We're Okay

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**So We're Okay**

**by: emily's list**

**Character(s):** Josh, Donna  
**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
**Category(s):** First Time, Romance  
**Rating:** ADULT  
**Summary:** Some banter, some sex, a little plot.  
**Spoiler:** What Kind of Day Has It Been, In the Shadow of Two Gunmen I & II, and The Midterms  
**Author's Note:** This fic is brought to you in part by the music of Diana Krall and the Indigo Girls. 

"Here's a little tale, ladies and gentleman. One day, after becoming the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President of the United States, Josh Lyman got a better salary. Which afforded him the opportunity to start renting what I'd like to call a Big Boy apartment. Now, since Josh Lyman is incapable of producing anything decorative, I have taken it upon myself to organize the decorating and furnishing of this empty apartment. Any questions?" 

I finish my speech to nine sleepy government employees. All I get is a groan and a "How can you do this to me at eight A.M. on a Sunday?" 

"Toby," I reply, "This is very important. Josh comes home in three days, this is the only time to do this. You agreed to be helpful." 

"I agreed to nothing. CJ forced me into this and--" 

"CJ, will you please..." I implore. She yawns, nodding, before slapping Toby on the back of the head. "Thanks. Okay. We'll separate by teams. CJ and Toby, bedroom." I shake off that unnecessary visual. "Sam and I will take the living room. Cathy and Margaret have the guest room. Bonnie and Ginger, as per request, will be doing the kitchen. Which leaves Charlie and Carol with the bathroom. Direct any questions to me. And the coffee's in the kitchen." Cathy wanders over to me, directing my attention to her pregnant stomach. "Are you sure you're up to this? It's okay to back out, I have people on reserve..." 

She waves that thought away. "I'm here, let's do this. Now, your e-mail was very helpful, but I have no clue what a chair rail is." Margaret overhears, dragging Cathy away. I can hear her offering a very spirited description of a chair rail. 

Satisfied, I turn towards my decorating partner. "You and I have the easy job." 

Sam sips his coffee. "Neato. What does this easy job entail?" 

"First of all, I'm very hurt you didn't read my series of e-mails, explaining what each team will be doing." I steal his coffee, taking a long sip. "But it doesn't matter because I lied in our description. I painted the walls last week. We're just waiting for the furniture to be delivered." Sam follows me out to the living room. "So put up your feet, rest. You've been working hard lately." 

We sit on Josh's hideous couch. "I haven't asked. Does Josh know we're doing this?" 

"He has a vague idea," I tell him, returning his coffee cup. "It's his semi-surprise for being a good patient." 

"I think I need to object. He has been a surly patient--" 

"Then it's his surprise for being alive." I pull my hair off my face. "I'll take what I can get." I move off the offensive couch, finding a better seat on the coffee table -- which will also be discarded today. "Josh thinks that I am sprucing up the guest room for my use." 

Sam raises an eyebrow. "I didn't know that you'd be moving in." 

"Temporarily. He's going to need some help in the beginning, and don't look at me like that, Sam." I stand up, parting the curtains. They are this terrible hotel-beige. Gross. They will join the pile of things I'd like to burn from Josh's apartment. 

"I'm not looking at you in any particular way, Donna. Although I was just reminded that you were at the hospital for three days straight. And in the following weeks, you could be found there for at least six hours a day." He rests against the couch, a smug smile across his face. 

"You certainly keep a tight watch on me," I comment. I wander towards Josh's CD player, which is surprisingly high-tech. Is it human to own this much Bruce Springsteen? I slip in a CD. 

"He's my friend. You're my friend. And what can I say? I pride myself on my powers of observation." Sam smiles this cute little smile, and it makes me realize what he can do to some women. Just not this woman. "So you're moving in. Temporarily," he adds quickly. "I think it's wonderful. He's going to really need somebody for a few weeks." 

Sam comes over to the CD player, flipping through Josh's collection. "This is just the same... boring... rock... shit..." He reads one CD. "Dave Brubeck Quartet. Well, good for Josh for expanding his horizons." 

"I picked that out," I say quietly. "I think I should check on the others." 

I walk towards the bedroom, but Sam says my name and it stops me. I turn around to face him. "I don't often get jealous of Josh, but he's incredibly lucky to have you." 

I blush, and I nod. I walk to the bedroom where it appears that CJ is trying to engage Toby in a paint fight. 

\+ 

He's doing it again. He's just... talking. 

About String Theory. And how physicists are amazingly close to producing a Theory of Everything. 

I sit in his living room, the room that was painstakingly decorated by me. And because I'm on the couch, my back is to Josh. I'm also in another room. 

Yet, he just... talks. 

I flip through briefing memos, deciding what is priority and what can be staffed out. The result of this process is piles. A pile of highest priority, a pile of less priority, a pile to staff out, a pile to be sent back to Leo's office... 

I find orderly piles to be very reassuring. 

And still, he talks. 

I can tell when he's getting worn out. He starts to divert from his own topic, and his voice gets very low and sexy. 

Um. Not that I find his voice sexy. 

"Donna, you're not listening. What do you have against gravity and quantum mechanics?" 

I turn around on the sofa so I'm facing him. "I have nothing against gravity or quantum mechanics. I'm not opposed to unifying all forces, either." I sit up on my knees, my arms leaning against the back of the sofa. "What I will protest is your incessant need to TELL ME ABOUT GRAVITY, QUANTUM MECHANICS AND UNIFYING ALL FORCES." 

"You sound angry, Donna." 

I sigh. "It's been a long day." He sits up, and it's unfortunate that I lick my lips when I see his tight Yale t-shirt. "It's tiring working like this. I'm at the office, and then I'm working here, and then I'm working here some more and then I have time for a five minute shower, but immediately, I'm back to work--" 

"You can go back to your apartment. You don't need to be here." 

I want to be here. I can't think of a better place to be, a place where you're safe and getting better and wearing tight t-shirts. 

Hawaii is probably better, although not by much. "Trust me, Josh, you need me. Let's leave it at that." I turn back to my briefing memos, shooting evil glances at the significantly large, unsorted pile. 

"Why are you in there?" 

"I like this sofa." 

"I know, you bought it with my credit card. Why are you in there?" 

See, Josh isn't a normal human being. He can't just say, Please come sit with me. Or, I need to be rejuvenated by staring at your stunning beauty. No, it has to be, Why are you in there? 

I sneak a look over my shoulder at the expectant expression on his face. 

Fine, whatever, I'm weak. 

I hug my pile of memos to my chest, and walk into Josh's room. He's wearing the aforementioned tight t-shirt plus grey sweatpants. And his face is pleased, but that was to be expected. "Where can I put this?" He pats the spot next to him on the bed. 

I put the pile on the opposite side of the bed, and I drag a chair closer from the corner. "There." I nod, satisfied, at my makeshift work station. 

"How long have you been like this?" he asks, his face bewildered. 

"As long as I've known you." I open a briefing memo and start to scan the page. 

"That was like watching a beaver set up a dam." 

I shrug, turning the page. "Before I started working for you, I was... directionless? And disorganized, because of my said directionless nature. I've learned to become efficient." My eyes register on one sentence in particular, so I hand the memo directly to Josh. "The FEC is reaching out for some assistance." 

"We have other things to do," he replies vaguely. But I notice how serious he becomes about reading the memo. Smiling, I begin another one. 

\+ 

It's simple when it happens. He's standing in a towel, his body still damp from the shower. He turns to me in the kitchen, where he is attempting to make coffee. 

And because of a dozen mornings like this, and late dinners, and falling asleep in front of the TV to CNN, I walk directly to Josh and kiss him. 

I'd had enough. 

For his part, he pushes me against the counter. I become wedged, not uncomfortably, between the wood surface and his body. He puts his arms around me, but my touch is more hesitant. I touch one bicep slowly, running my fingers up and down the smooth skin. One hand travels to the back of his neck, where my fingers run across his hairline. 

"Wait," I say, pulling away breathlessly. "You're not up to this and I'm going to be late for work." Josh makes this little sarcastic noise just as his towel begins to fall. We both look down. I bite my tongue and wish away all my horrible puns. "Okay, so you're... okay." 

We go back to kissing. And I let these feelings wash over me, these feelings that I've let fall to the back of my mind. When his lips travel down my neck, I let out the most embarrassing moan. 

But he's grinning and I really can't care because his hand is traveling under my skirt. 

"You may be... okay... but you're not okay enough to do it against the counter." 

"Do you want me to show you?" he asks quietly as he pulls off my pantyhose. Josh kneels and removes my high heels. His hands grasp my calves and he looks up at me with these hopeful eyes. He pulls off my pantyhose, kissing the bare skin on my legs. 

"You really... come here." He stands, pressing against me. "You shouldn't be kneeling like that. You'll put stress on your back." 

Josh slips his hands under my skirt and removes my underwear. He tosses it near my coffee maker and looks back to me. "What I'm about to do is going to put stress on my back, but you're going to have to be okay with that." He lifts me a few inches so I'm sitting on the counter. He then chastely starts to unbutton my shirt. When my shirt is open, and my skin's exposed, he leaves kisses across my chest. He helps me shed my shirt and almost gives me an aneurism when he pauses. "You've been inside all summer, how do you have freckles?" He kisses my freckles gently. 

"I've been sunbathing in the Riviera when you're not looking." I put my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, drawing him as close as possible. And I ignore his scar, even though I can't keep my eyes off it. 

It gives me a moment of pause. I close my eyes and tilt my head towards the ceiling in a quick, silent prayer. 

"Donna, what are you doing?" 

"Nothing." When his bare shoulders touch my skin, I shudder. "I shouldn't be late for work." 

His lips close on my earlobe before he whispers, "Who's gonna know if you're late?" And there it goes. I shudder again. "How you doing?" He laughs softly against my ear. 

"Do you know you're naked? I mean, completely naked. You must be cold. The central air is turned up way too high and--" He stops my talking with a kiss and fingers crawling up thighs. Josh rolls my skirt up, bunching the fabric up above my hips. 

He stops and I let out a frustrated sigh. 

"Hey, um, this isn't going to happen like this. I think I ignored the logistical issue." 

So to review. Josh is ridiculously naked, his skin flushed. I am wearing my bra and skirt. Said skirt is around my hips. And I'm on the kitchen counter. This can't be sanitary. 

"Bedroom?" he asks. I nod eagerly, hopping off the counter. On my way to his bedroom, I reach behind my back to undo my bra. Turning to him, I remove the garment and throw it in his general direction. Josh catches the bra, but then throws it over his shoulder as he flattens me against the wall. He reaches out to my bare breasts, one hand rubbing at my nipple while his tongue starts lapping at the other. 

"Bedroom," I moan softly. I take his hand and remove myself from the wall. He follows me slowly, smirking as I reach down to unzip my skirt. I leave it in the doorway to his bedroom. 

I'm standing in front of him and there is nothing between us. No pretense, no clothes, nothing. Josh reaches out and takes my hand, leading me to his bed. 

"Don't you love your linens?" I ask as we slide into bed. "Margaret and I spent two hours at Bed, Bath & Beyond." 

"Is that impressive?" 

"Yes." I reach out to touch his chest, carefully ignoring his scar. And I rub his hip, moving my hand in small circles. "Are you nervous?" I look sheepishly into his eyes. 

"Me? No. Of course not. I'm not... Um. Yeah, I am. Is that bad?" 

I slide my hand down to his erection. "Are you nervous now?" 

His breath catches in his throat as I start to move my hand. Josh's eyes close briefly, then blink wide open. "You know, I'm really not sure." He leans forward to kiss me and I smile against his mouth. I keep moving my hand as he moans. "I can't... tell you that feels." 

"You could try," I ask in a whisper. 

He closes his eyes, and leans his forehead against mine. "It's hot. And that warmth starts... there... and spreads throughout my body. The friction is amazing. I can practically feel you under my skin and in my veins." His eyes fly open. "That was too much information. That's wasn't all about what you're doing right now. Uh..." 

My hand stops. "I'm under your skin and in your veins?" He nods. "Okay." I push his shoulder down so he's lying on his back. "Just so you know, the same goes for me." With that, I climb on top of him. I sit up on my knees, poised right above his erection. "You're metaphorically inside of me, and pretty soon it's going to be literal as well. You have one more chance to back out." 

He stares at me. "Why would I want to do that?" Josh puts his hands to my hips and helps me lower myself on top of him. 

I adjust, slowly, wincing. He watches my face carefully. "I'm fine," I say. He helps me move up, just a bit, as I try to relax my inner muscles. "Does this have implications?" 

His hand -- which had just begun moving on my clit -- immediately stopped. "Oh, God. You're not on the Pill. I just assumed that you would tell me if we needed--" 

I exhale. "I'm on the Pill, will you relax? I meant emotional implications. This can be us, right now. This doesn't have to repeat itself." 

Josh smoothes his right hand across my abdomen to my hip. "You're a remarkably intelligent woman, but that was kinda stupid." He smiles shyly. "I want this now, I wanted this before, and I'm pretty sure I'd be okay with this situation replicating itself. Over and over." His smile fades. "Unless you think this should be..." 

I roll off him, immediately missing the sensation. I pull the sheet up across my chest, holding it very tightly. "We sort of plunged right into that, didn't we." 

"Yeah. That's because you jumped me when I was in a towel." 

"Right." I stare at his ceiling, replaying the past thirty minutes. "You didn't take me to dinner or kiss me at my doorstep. And there wasn't foreplay, not really." I look next to me, where he is making strange faces. "I'm just saying we kissed for the first time and here we are, naked in bed." 

"I prefer the term ‘nude.'" 

"No, you don't." I sigh, rolling over to face him. "I need to get to the office." 

"Why do you keep insisting upon this? I'm your boss, I say keep your ass in bed." 

I touch his chest possessively. "You're not saying that as my boss. You're saying that as my..." What? As my friend? With benefits? Is he saying that as my boyfriend? Lover? Almost-But-Not-Yet Lover? "You're saying that as my... whatever you are." I get out of bed, trying to be modest by taking the blanket with me. I struggle to wrap it around my body as I go for the door. "I like the office. People trust me, in your absence, to take care of things. And I... I like having their trust. Call it egotistical, but it makes me feel important." 

"I wouldn't call it that," he says in a moment of complete seriousness. He looks up from his bed, his eyes fixed on me. "Go to work." He leans over the side of the bed, looking for pajamas that he'd tossed aside at some point. I leave him searching and return to the hallway for my skirt and bra. I let the blanket fall as I don some of my clothes. 

I head into the kitchen to locate my underwear and blouse; embarrassingly, I cannot locate my underwear. As I move towards my bedroom, a pajama-clad Josh blocks my way. I start to laugh at his PJs from CJ, because that's entirely too ridiculous. As are these pajamas. He shakes his head as he leans in to kiss me. 

"I need underwear," I explain. 

"That's debatable." Josh follows me into my room. "So... you'll be back at lunch." 

My underwear drawer is a mess, I really should try to organize it. Huh. I pull out a pair and slip them on before realizing Josh is watching me. "I've been coming back at lunch since you got home from the hospital. Why are you..." And then it hits me. I smile. "Yes, I'll be back at lunch." 

"Good, ‘cause I'm thinking I'm going to be really hungry." I tuck my blouse in as he walks closer. He kisses me gently, his arms encircling my waist. "This is sudden, this is quick. But you know what? This thing between you and I feels right. And I think we owe it to ourselves to try it out. Take it for a spin." 

I apply a kiss to his neck. "Okay. I'll be back around one. Try not to get into any trouble." I kiss him on the lips and give him one final look before walking out the door on my way to work. Forty-five minutes late. 

\+ 

The curtains are drawn when I return at one-thirty. The living room is incredibly dark, and I can't help but feel nervous as I set down our lunch on the coffee table. "Josh?" I call out. 

"You're late!" he yells from the bedroom. I move through his kitchen to see that the doors to his room are closed. 

"Why's it so dark in here?" 

"I like the dark. Can you come into my room for just a second?" 

"The doors are closed. I'd hate to invade your privacy." I can't help it, I'm teasing him. I put one hand to the door, leaning forward to lean my forehead against it. "Josh? May I come in?" 

Josh flings open the door and I tumble into his chest. "Hey. I really didn't think you'd be... right there." I tip my face back, just slightly, hoping he'll take the subtle hint to kiss me. 

But of course, he doesn't respond to subtlety. I move my face the dangerous inches closer to his and I kiss his lips. When I step back, a bit breathless, I take in his outfit. The thing is, I've become accustomed to his enormous collection of sweatpants and t-shirts. And it's fine, I don't care what he wears. 

Except that he's changed into a white dress shirt and jeans. I don't ask why, I just attempt to catch my breath. "What is the occasion?" 

"You." 

I nod. "Oh." He leads me inside his bedroom, which is dark save for three fat candles that flicker enticingly. "What is this--" 

"Wait!" He dashes to his CD player and cues up Diana Krall. When he turns to me, he offers me a proud smile. I look around his dark room, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding. This is cheesy, but this is exactly the thing that always melts the sappy section of my heart. 

"Where did you get this CD?" I ask, wandering closer as I start to unbutton my blouse. He looks perplexed. "I ask, because last time I checked, your musical tastes delved into Bruce and the Doobie Brothers, but not much else." When I finish with my shirt, I drop it on the floor and stand in front of him. 

Josh approaches slowly, his arms reaching out to pull my body to his. We stand, swaying, in an almost dance. I unbutton his shirt with my eyes closed, listening to Diana sing about someone being under her skin. I smile at the memory from this morning as I kiss his collarbone. 

His skin feels electric against mine. I just want more of him, closer, more of him on me and inside of me. "I don't want you to think I don't appreciate your little outfit," I say as I unzip his pants. "I love it. But it's just not going to work with what I have in mind." 

"Stop talking," he groans, urging my hand inside his pants. I pull his pants down and he steps out of them, throwing them somewhere. I drop my hand inside his boxers, lightly touching the length of his erection. "Before we," he starts to say as my hand speeds up, "Oh, Donna." He takes my hand away. "Okay, let's get you naked." 

"I thought you preferred the term ‘nude.'" I kick off my shoes, my eyes on his the whole time, as I sit on his bed to remove my pantyhose. I ditch my skirt, motioning him forward. He lunges at me, his body settling on top of mine in the most delectable way. "Let's get comfortable." I slide back on the bed, laying against a pillow. Josh quickly follows me, his hands creeping up my torso as we move. His fingers find my nipple, gently rubbing a steady pattern onto my skin. 

When he starts to lick swirls down my front, that's when I start to moan. His mouth darts down my stomach, stopping right above the waistband of my underwear. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time," he announces, before pulling my underwear down and off. He settles between my thighs, parting them with his hands. His hands creep along my thighs, gently massaging them until he reaches my sex. Josh gives me a grin as he leaves kisses on my inner thighs, parting my legs even farther. He lays his tongue flat against my clit, sighing these little hot breaths that are driving me crazy. 

"Move your tongue," I order breathlessly. 

"Where?" 

"Just. Move it." He starts to laugh as he dips his tongue inside of me. Which is when he stops laughing and starts licking at me with a passion. His fingers touch my clit, gently adding pressure, until they fall into a maddening rhythm. His tongue continues to explore me as his fingers speed up. "Josh, God, oh God. Oh..." 

"Yes?" 

"Just. Keep doing that... ugh... oh..." He twists his tongue or something. I can't really identify what he does that's different, but it makes me come and I tell him so. Loudly. 

I anticipate the look on his face when he moves from between my legs. I know there will be a conceited expression, followed by some smart-ass comment about moving the Heavens. But I'm completely wrong. 

"Was that okay?" He asks as he flops next to me, his face flushed. His hand reaches out to stroke my abdomen and I'm left speechless. 

"That was more than okay," I tell him, lowering my head to kiss him. I sweep my tongue across his mouth. "More than okay," I repeat as I take off his boxers and his erection springs free. "I'm thinking we're pretty much ready now. Yes?" 

I climb on top of him and he nods his approval. "Yeah." I find his hands, threading my fingers through his as I ease my way onto his erection. "No, I want to touch you," he groans. 

"This helps me keep balance," I say as I rise up and then sharply down. "Ow. Okay. Slower." I let go of his hands, and one immediately goes to the small of my back, helping me move. His other hands casually finds my clit. "You feel so good," I manage to say. 

"Yeah. You... do too," he gasps. His eyes close and I watch his face contort with pleasure. "Donnaaaa. Don't. Stop." 

"I won't." My hips work in a circle and I can feel his fingers on my clit as something so constant, so perfect. I keep breathing these heaving breaths and I feel like my body will just spontaneously run out of air. I look down into Josh's face and he's watching me now, his eyes glued to mine. We keep eye contact as we keep up our ministrations. "Ohhhh..." I let out suddenly. 

He matches my outburst in the same way, his hips coming off the bed in one jerky motion. Josh roughly pulls my upper body down to meet his as he comes, his moans constant in my ear and his hands kneading my breasts. He pants before he lets out a short, relieved laugh. "Uhh... wow." He kisses me and places his hands on the sides of my face. 

I move off of him, sliding to the side. "Josh, uh, I'm not really..." 

"Right." He helps me find a more comfortable position as his fingers go directly back to my clit with one arm wrapped around my waist. He teases my flesh, rubbing his fingers back and forth and taking direction very well. When I tell him harder, faster, he responds with gusto and I feel my orgasm pulse through my body. I let out a noise that, swear to God, I've never made before. I kiss his neck before falling flaccidly against the bed. 

"I'm going to need a shower before I go back." 

"We should conserve water. Hey, is there any work that--" 

"It can wait until tomorrow." I roll over to face him. 

"Good. So don't go back to the office." He hugs me possessively, his face disappearing into the crook my neck. 

"I have work to do. There's nothing for you to worry about." I stroke his back and those firm muscles that have always driven me insane. "Lunch is in the living room." 

"Can't we eat in--" 

"No, yes. We can. What I'm saying is that it's in the living room and needs to be retrieved." 

"Donna, I'm not really hungry," he mumbles, his mouth traveling down to my left breast. 

"You need to eat something, Josh. You can't waste away just because..." Oh hell. His tongue flicks out at my nipple, and I think I just hissed. My hands tangle in his hair, urging him to stay just where he is. 

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiing. 

Crap. "Josh, you need to pick up the phone." 

"I'm busy," he replies, switching to my other nipple. I sigh, reaching for the phone while trying to stay in the exact same position so that he can continue. 

"Josh Lyman." 

"Hello?" 

I freeze, just for a moment, before pushing Josh off of me. "Hello, Mrs. Landingham. How are you?" 

"Oh, Donna, I'd forgot you were still taking Josh his lunch. How's he doing, dear?" 

"Uhm, he's well. He's fine. Nothing's going on. Is there anything I can help you with?" 

"The President would like to see Josh today, perhaps in the evening. Is Josh feeling up to it?" 

I look over to him, his head resting on the pillow with an expectant look written across his face. "He most certainly is. I'll have him in this evening." 

"Thank you, Donna. See you soon." 

Click. 

That felt like this one time, when my mother walked in on Freddie Briggs and myself. We were, I don't know, something like sixteen. We were making out in my room and I was sprawled on top of Freddie. And my mother came home early. 

Yeah, that's what this just felt like. 

"You can't ever touch me again," I reason, "because I will just immediately start to think of Mrs. Landingham." 

"Donna, I need you to not say that ever again." He rests his head against my chest. "So let's go take our shower." 

I inch out of bed, missing his warmth immediately. "I am going to shower efficiently and get back to the office." 

"You are absolutely no fun." 

"So I've been told." I lean over to kiss him, my hand lingering on his cheek. "Your lunch is in the living room. I'll be back later to pick you up and deliver you to the President." I know he's watching me as I move into his bathroom. 

"Wait, what?" 

"That's why Mrs. Landingham called. The President would like to see you this evening," I shout from the bathroom. 

"Donna, I can hear you, you don't need to yell. Okay. Fine. So I'll just be here, you know, hanging out. Thinking of you naked in the shower." 

I roll my eyes. "You do that." 

\+ 

When I park a block away from Josh's apartment, I can't help but look out the window at a man who looks like... no, that's definitely Josh. 

Do I overact? No. I turn off the engine. "Hey," I call out my window. I can tell that he freezes in his step, wondering if he can make a run for it. He turns around. 

"This isn't what it looks like. I'm not outside." 

I stare up at the leafy trees that line his street. "Okay." 

"Maybe I'm outside. But I needed some fresh air, it's getting stifling in my apartment." 

"Can you come a little closer to the car, please? I'm having trouble hearing you." He approaches slowly, hesitantly. "Relax, I won't bite." 

He looks away, then returns to my face with a smirk. "You said that last night, but..." 

"Hop in. You're getting a surprise." Josh looks at me skeptically. "It's a good surprise. One with food." He opens the door and slides in carefully. "Okay, first," I say, slapping the back of his head. "Listen to your doctor. If he says don't walk around too much without anyone--" 

"Can you please... refrain from hitting me?!" 

"If Dr. Washington tells you: don't walk around too much alone, you will listen to Dr. Washington." 

"Dr. Washington also said I could go back to work next week." 

I turn the engine back on, moving out of the parking space. "That's why you only received a slight smack." 

"So this surprise. It's not more violence, is it?" 

I pat his knee. "No violence." 

"Where are we going?" 

"Hi. For the third time, it's a surprise, which can be defined as--" 

"Fine, fine." He sits back in his seat as we drive through Georgetown, turning up the radio on a jazz station. It's my new passion. Jazz. There's something about a frenetic jazz piece that makes me want to rip his clothes off. 

So. That's what makes it my new passion. 

"You took off early." 

"Huh?" 

"It's five P.M. You left the office early." 

I give him a sideways glance. "Nah, I was pretty much done." 

"Bullshit. You stayed up late finishing up, didn't you." 

I allow myself a small smile. "Perhaps." 

"So this surprise has been planned in great detail. In advance." 

"That's pretty accurate." I merge onto the Beltway, and I feel his hand creep onto my thigh. "That's very nice, Joshua, but it's kind of distracting." 

"Should I move my hand?" 

"Just until we're out of the city." 

"Again, I feel the need to ask, where the hell are we--" 

"Patience." Then, I relent. "We're going on a picnic." 

"That is a terrible surprise, Ms. Moss," he comments. "A picnic. A picnic." Josh shakes his head. "That is so girlie. Honestly, Donna, what kind of--" 

"Is there any universe in which I'd think you were serious?" I can hear him laughing sincerely and a generally good feeling spreads through my body. "Yes, a picnic, where I will feed you grapes and you can get the fresh air you seem to desire." 

"And suddenly, my objections disappear. Did you say you'd feed me--" 

"I was kidding. Partially." 

We sit in comfortable silence together, save for the jazz that lightly plays throughout the car. He starts to look around, hunting for something to entertain himself. When he spies the suitcase in the back, he looks to me curiously. "Long surprise?" 

"The surprise is one weekend in length. Don't ask so many questions." 

"Just one more. Do you love me?" 

I swallow, and my stomach immediately begins to turn. I can feel my breath hitch in my throat and I... "How can you ask me that when you know the answer?" 

"I don't know the answer. Not really. I know I love you, but..." The breath in my throat changes itself into a lump as I drive, speechless. "I've never said that to you. But it feels good to say it, you know? It's a relief to put it out there. Unless you don't... I mean, I don't want to assume things. You've taken care of me, such good care of me, and you've been a good friend. My best friend, really. Lately. And we make love... a lot, but all of that doesn't necessarily add up to you loving me. So. I guess I want you to answer." 

"You're so stupid, of course I love you," I reply, wincing at the severity. 

"That's exactly the response I wanted," he says sarcastically, but when I glance at him, his face is lit with a huge smile. 

"What... made you ask me that?" 

"I go back to work next week, and I need to know where I stand with my employees. Donna, I'm kidding. No, I think we probably owe our esteemed Press Secretary a head's up." 

"You're probably right." I pull over when I can, switching on the hazards. 

"What is it?" 

I lean over to kiss him, my hand drifting to his chest. "Just that."


End file.
